Stray Cats, 40. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

A positive argument will always be made that the initial energy that makes up a band, the creative bonding which first brought any group to prominence, can be recaptured given the right set of circumstances and stimuli, the never forgotten beating heart which strode any stage with confidence and perhaps wonderful seamless pride, it all is contained within a tightly corked bottle waiting to release its vintage, even after a few decades since it was last sampled.

Stray Cats, 40. Album Review. full post

(377 words, 1 image, estimated 1:30 mins reading time)

RJ Chesney, Amateur Revolution. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10

No uprising can hope to survive unless it is meticulously planned out, any possible kinks in the plan smoothed down and the feeling that what you are hoping to achieve is not one of fundamental revolt or insidious riot, instead what the aim should be is one of considered revolution, a change of mind, heart and soul. It doesn’t have to be dealt with pain of absolute, neither should it be embraced as mutinous tragedy or by the hands of devilish authority wanting more of the same but within a different body running the show; the Amateur Revolution is always in the end one that is more sincere and thoughtful to those caught in its seismic wake.

RJ Chesney, Amateur Revolution. Album Review. full post

(427 words, estimated 1:42 mins reading time)

Enterfire, Slave Of Time. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

It is a peculiarity affixed to humanity that unless we are seen to be controlled by the clock then we cannot be seen as to be productive, there is seemingly no room in the concerns of those who set the agenda that we can be off the clock, dedicated to our own well-being, our spiritual growth. There is always in the back of our minds the pressure of utilising the moment between the tick and the tock, a chilling spectre that eats at our soul and which insists that we make lists, to be continually busy, for in the end it seems we are nothing but a Slave of Time, and the clock continuously marks down the minutes in which we serve this insatiable master.

Enterfire, Slave Of Time. Album Review. full post

(420 words, 1 image, estimated 1:41 mins reading time)

Bruce Hornsby, Absolute Zero. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10

The minimum value is not an accusation or deriding comment one can place at the door of Bruce Hornsby, quite the opposite in face, his energy and perspective across the decades has endeared him to more than one genre of fans, the melodic Rock, film score, musical and the cool sensation of sincere Jazz effect, all have rippled under the weight of dynamic prose and observance of life through the speciality of piano and keys, of lofty ideals and the slow dance with the eagerly devoured, Absolute Zero is a place that is the complete opposite to which the music provided in Bruce Hornsby’s latest solo album regales itself upon the hearts of the listener.

Bruce Hornsby, Absolute Zero. Album Review. full post

(410 words, 1 image, estimated 1:38 mins reading time)

Lewis Trondheim And Stéphane Oiry, Maggy Garrisson. Graphic Novel Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

If a picture can paint a thousand words, then London is righty considered a canvas that keeps inspiring, an image of forever change and the backdrop to an ever evolving mixture of oils and a representation of life that is both a textured reflection and despairing copy of its once genius self and the back drop to a million hopeless dreams.

Lewis Trondheim And Stéphane Oiry, Maggy Garrisson. Graphic Novel Review. full post

(474 words, 1 image, estimated 1:54 mins reading time)

Dragged Across Concrete, Film Review. Picturehouse@F.A.C.T., Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Cast: Mel Gibson, Vince Vaughn, Tory Kittles, Michael Jai White, Thomas Kretschmann, Jennifer Carpenter, Laurie Holden, Don Johnson, Udo Kier, Fred Malamed, Justine Warrington.

Robbery against the large faceless institutions, unlike murder, is one when presented in either fact or fiction produces a dichotomy of feelings for the average person, on one hand is rejoiced as a blow against the system which will happily see all bend under the strain of financial constraint whilst those that impose economic sanctions continue to thrive and prosper, on the other hand, the moral indignation takes hold and inside asks what makes such actions necessary, why should a thief get away with their actions when all the rest of society behaves and hopes for better days.

Dragged Across Concrete, Film Review. Picturehouse@F.A.C.T., Liverpool. full post

(503 words, estimated 2:01 mins reading time)

Red Joan, Film Review. Picturehouse@F.A.C.T., Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Cast: Judi Dench, Sophie Cookson, Stephen Campbell Moore, Tom Hughes, Laurence Spellman, Tereza Srbova, Ben Miles, Robin Soans, Kevin Fuller, Stephen Boxer,

The declaration and labelling of being a traitor is one that is arguably fraught with the agony that comes with not being able to present your side of the story to the nation without it being lost in the clamour of calls for your neck, to die at the hands of a public spurred on by mass media and the urging of government to dole out maximum punishment.

Red Joan, Film Review. Picturehouse@F.A.C.T., Liverpool. full post

(530 words, estimated 2:07 mins reading time)

Around The World In 80 Days, Theatre Review. Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision rating 9/10

Cast: Pushpinder Chani, Kirsten Foster, Matthew Ganley, Dennis Herdman, Michael Hugo, Nyron Levy, Joey Parsad, Andrew Pollard, Stefan Ruiz.

Time was when travelling meant more than just getting on a plane and complaining that the seats weren’t wide enough, the chance to leave a half-baked witticism on a website that gives you free reign to vent steam or to take the obligatory picture of your legs as they start to resemble sausages left in the frying pan for longer than is safe to do. Time was when it meant adventure, and whilst some still lovingly cling to that idea, now the over-riding thought is that it a holiday deserved, not a moment to be taught a lesson or to have your mind expanded.

Around The World In 80 Days, Theatre Review. Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(512 words, estimated 2:03 mins reading time)

Sweeney Todd, Theatre Review. Everyman Theatre, Liverpool.

Liverpool Sound and Vision rating * * * * *

Photograph by Marc Brenner, used with kind permission by Everyman Theatre.

Cast: Liam Tobin, Kacey Ainsworth, Emma Dears, Paul Duckworth, Keziah Joseph, Dean Nolan, Bryan Parry, Shiv Rabheru, Mark Rice-Oxley.

Musicians: Tarek Merchant, Daisy Evans, Samantha Norman, Alex Smith.

Sweeney Todd, Theatre Review. Everyman Theatre, Liverpool. full post

(592 words, 1 image, estimated 2:22 mins reading time)

John Jenkins And The James Street Band, Looking For That American Dream. Single Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision rating 9/10

Growing up in the shadow and aftermath of World War Two, especially in a period dominated by what can only be described as endless beige and cultural desolation, it is no small wonder that most people in Britain looked across the Atlantic and fantasised about a better life; bombarded by the latest films, television programmes, advertising and consumerism, a place in which the skies seemed endless blue, in which the mantra of being anything you want to be is achievable caught the imagination and made arguably the vast majority understand that they were Looking For That American Dream.

John Jenkins And The James Street Band, Looking For That American Dream. Single Review. full post

(409 words, estimated 1:38 mins reading time)